Scottish Executive

Bankruptcy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) powers and (b) plans it has to introduce legislation to provide safeguards for debtors with bank accounts by restricting the extent to which an arrestment attaches to monies in bank accounts and establish an arrestment restriction procedure, whereby a debtor would be able to apply to a sheriff for an order to release monies from arrestment.

Hugh Henry: In this parliamentary year we will consult on and bring forward proposals for reform to the law on the enforcement of civil obligations in Scotland. The Executive consulted extensively on diligence reform last year and has published an independent analysis of the responses to consultation. The legislation which will follow will cover issues consulted upon such as modernisation of the enforcement system and individual types of enforcement, including arrestment of funds such as those held in bank accounts, as well as other debtor protections.

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Charities Office interviewed, or sought to interview, Mr Robert Winter as part of its inquiry into Breast Cancer Research (Scotland) prior to the interim interdict against him being granted by the Court of Session.

Colin Boyd QC: It would not be appropriate to comment on who has been interviewed, or when, in the course of an investigation, especially when the matter is sub judice. The existence of the interdict would not prevent a witness from being interviewed by the Charities Office.

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when concerns were first raised about the operation of Breast Cancer (Research) Scotland and on what date the formal investigation into the charity began.

Colin Boyd QC: The investigation which led to the current court proceedings began in October 2002. It would not be appropriate to comment further as the case is sub judice.

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Scottish Charities Office formally passed the results of its investigation into Breast Cancer Research (Scotland) to the Lord Advocate.

Colin Boyd QC: The Scottish Charities Office is a division of the Crown Office and investigates misconduct and mismanagement in charities on behalf of the Lord Advocate who raised the court action against Breast Cancer Research (Scotland).

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the activities of Breast Cancer Research (Scotland) were not suspended when the formal investigation into its activities began.

Colin Boyd QC: The purpose of the investigation was to identify whether there was evidence which would justify suspension by the court.

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lord Advocate will seek the lifting of the interim interdict granted to Tony Freeman of Solutions RMC preventing Mr Robert Winter of Breast Cancer Research (Scotland) from divulging any information pertaining to Solutions RCM’s business, finances, products, dealings, transactions or affairs to any third party.

Colin Boyd QC: The interim interdict relates to business matters flowing from Mr Winter’s employment with RMC Solutions and in no way prevents him from speaking to the regulatory authorities.

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Charities Office was prevented from interviewing Mr Robert Winter as part of its inquiry into Breast Cancer Research (Scotland) because of the interim interdict against him granted by the Court of Session.

Colin Boyd QC: It would not be appropriate to comment on who was interviewed in the course of investigation as the matter is sub judice.

Charities

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Charities Office (SCO) became aware that Solutions RMC was seeking an interim interdict against Mr Robert Winter of Breast Cancer Research (Scotland) and whether the SCO made any representations to oppose the application.

Colin Boyd QC: The Charities Office became aware of the existence of the interdict in October of last year after the interdict had been granted.

Dentistry

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many dentists have notified patients of the withdrawal of their services under the NHS in the last year; where the practices of such dentists are located, and whether it will take steps to establish new contracts to ensure access to NHS dental services for all.

Mr Tom McCabe: The specific information is not available. However, the number of dentists whose patient registration status shows "withdrawn" in the last financial year and the NHS board area that these dentists are located is shown in the following table. Patient registrations can be withdrawn for a number of reasons, including the dentist moving to another area, non-payment of charges by the patient, entry into a private arrangement, because the dentist has decided to stop treating some or all categories of NHS patients or if a duplicate registration has been detected.

  Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in an area rests with the NHS board or Primary Care NHS Trust. However, the Executive recognises that there are problems with access to NHS dental services in some parts of Scotland and has introduced a number of measures aimed at improving such access. We will keep the need for incentives which attract and retain dentists within the National Health Service under constant review.

  Number of General Dental Service Dentists Whose Patients’ Registration Status Shows "Withdrawn"1; April 2002 to March 2003

  


NHS Board Area 
  

Number of Dentists 
  



Ayrshire and Arran 
  

36 
  



Borders 
  

17 
  



Argyll and Clyde 
  

37 
  



Fife 
  

64 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

102 
  



Highland 
  

25 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

57 
  



Grampian 
  

75 
  



Orkney 
  

0 
  



Lothian 
  

80 
  



Tayside 
  

50 
  



Forth Valley 
  

38 
  



Western Isles 
  

6 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

18 
  



Shetland 
  

0 
  



Scotland 
  

605 2




  Source: MIDAS (Management Information and Dental Accounting System).

  Notes:

  1. Based on dentists whose patients registration status shows "withdrawn" and where the start date of the registration period is between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003; this occurs when there is a request for the registration record to be withdrawn (usually a request from the dentist, approved by the NHS board or primary care NHS trust). It also includes withdrawals carried out where more than one active registration exists for the same patient as part of data cleansing. This means that some withdrawals may be done due to an internal process.

  2. One dentist can have more than one list number within a NHS board area. One dentist is present in two NHS boards.

Digital Hearing Aids

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the provision of digital hearing aids to NHS patients in each year to 2006-07; how much has been allocated from the Health and Community Care budget for this purpose in each year to 2006-07, and how many patients it estimates would benefit from a digital hearing aid

Mr Tom McCabe: The Partnership Agreement includes a commitment to ensure the resources are available to allow the routine issue of digital hearing aids and support where they are the most clinically effective option. This follows the commitment made by the Executive to modernising audiology services in response to the Public Health Institute Report NHS Audiology Services in Scotland .

  We have asked NHS boards to develop modernisation action plans for hearing aid services, and an additional £1.5 million was made available earlier this year for the purchase of new audiology equipment.

  In 2003-04 boards will receive an average increase of 7.8% in their budget allocations. We expect boards to use some of this funding to help implement these plans. Allocations for future years are still to be decided. In addition, the Executive is making £8 million of central funding available over the next four years to support the modernisation process, and will appoint a project manager to facilitate and co-ordinate modernisation over the next two years.

  The overall aim is to ensure that patients receive a hearing aid with features that best overcome their impairment and it is not possible to estimate how many will be digital hearing aids.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many registered drug misusers there have been (a) in total and (b) broken down by NHS board area in each of the last four years, showing the percentage increase in each year.

Hugh Henry: The term "registered drug misuser" no longer exists. Information on the numbers of people misusing drugs is not available on an annual basis.

Drug Misuse

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to promote the medical prescribing of heroin for long-term addicts and, if so, what these plans are.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are no current plans to promote the medical prescribing of heroin for long-term addicts. We will continue to keep in touch with our counterparts in England and Wales on this question.

Employment

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a statement from the management and/or owners of Arjo Wiggins paper mill, Corpach, in respect of the impending redundancy of 58 employees; whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government in respect of any grant that Arjo Wiggins sought or received in respect of the retention of jobs at the mill, and whether any proceeds from the fine imposed on Arjo Wiggins Appleton plc by the European Commission will be used to assist any employees who may be made redundant to find alternative employment.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is being kept fully informed of developments at the Arjo Wiggins paper mill in Corpach. Officials from Highlands and Islands Enterprise met the company’s senior management to discuss the job loss situation and also what assistance can be offered to those employees affected.

  The company has been offered a grant under the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bio-energy Capital Grant Scheme. The grant offer is based on the installation of a bio-energy plant and the DTI is monitoring the situation with Arjo Wiggins. In respect of their dealings with the EU, this is a separate matter of Competition Policy, which is reserved to the UK Government.

Environment

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to introduce a self-certification scheme for window companies in respect of compliance of glass used in replacement windows with low emissivity regulations.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 introduced new powers on certification of design and construction. These powers will be implemented through secondary legislation.

Environment

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take in respect of local authorities not complying with low emissivity glass regulations when fitting replacement windows in local authority-owned property.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Local authority building control departments are responsible for enforcing building regulations. This includes work carried out by the local authority.

Environment

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of compliance by local authorities is with low emissivity glass regulations when fitting replacement windows in local authority-owned property.

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of compliance is with low emissivity regulations for replacement windows in comparison with the level in England.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The information requested is not held centrally.

Environment

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take in order to police compliance with low emissivity regulations for replacement windows.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Checking compliance with building regulations is the responsibility of local authorities.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of its ministers have attended meetings of the European Convention on the Future of Europe and whether any of its ministers will be attending the European Council in Thessaloniki in June 2003.

Mr Jack McConnell: Although Scottish Executive ministers are not members of the convention, I attended a meeting of the convention on 6 June 2002 as an observer. Peter Peacock also participated in a meeting of the convention’s Contact Group on Regional and Local Authorities on 16 October 2002.

  Scottish Executive ministers will not attend the Thessaloniki European Council.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has with departments of Her Majesty’s Government in respect of negotiations regarding the European Convention on the Future of Europe.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive works closely with UK Government Departments to ensure that Scottish interests are taken into account in the negotiations on the European Convention on the Future of Europe.

  For example, the Scottish Executive, in conjunction with the Welsh Assembly Government, worked closely with the UK Government to produce a paper, Europe and the Regions, which Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Wales and the UK Government’s representative on the convention, submitted to the convention at its plenary on 7 February 2003.

Fire Service

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its proposed fire service bill will be based on its consultation document The Scottish Fire Service of the Future or on the recommendations of the Bain report commissioned by the Deputy Prime Minister.

Hugh Henry: The two are not mutually exclusive. A number of the Bain report recommendations, particularly those on risk management and community fire safety, chimed with proposals in our policy document. We will take both into account as we take forward our work on the fire services bill for Scotland, which we plan to publish in the first year of this session.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to assist the scallop fishing industry.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Scallop Advisory Committee, which includes representatives from the Executive, Food Standards Agency Scotland, Fisheries Research Services (FRS) and the scallop industry, is developing options for research that will inform the science behind the amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) action level. In recognition of the effects of ASP closures on the scallop industry, the Executive is committed to supporting any such research.

  FRS is currently undertaking a project to review the spatial and seasonal occurrence of harmful algal blooms in Scottish waters and their relationship to shellfish toxicity.

  In 2003-04, the scallop sector will benefit from funds committed from the Scottish Executive and Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance grant schemes. This will include support for an industry-led project analysing scallop portion sizes.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Scallop Association to discuss current issues of concern to the scallop industry, including amnesic shellfish poisoning and technical measures designed to promote conservation.

Ross Finnie: My officials, and officials of the Food Standards Agency Scotland, meet regularly with representatives of the Scallop Association to discuss issues of concern to the scallop industry. Most recently, officials met with the Scallop Association on 27 May in Aberdeen, and a further meeting is scheduled for 25 June.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what stage research planned by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department into the biochemistry of the scallop, to establish the level at which the synergy between the naturally occurring glutamic and aspartic acids and the demonic acid caused by algal blooms becomes toxic, has reached; on what date such research was commissioned; when it is expected to be completed; who is carrying it out; what the estimated total cost is and by whom it will be borne; what response has been received by the Food Standards Agency from DG Sanco with regard to approving such research, and whether all correspondence relating to this matter will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Ross Finnie: The Scottish Scallop Advisory Committee, which includes Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, Food Standards Agency Scotland, Fisheries Research Services and representatives of the scallop industry in its membership, is presently developing options for research relating to amnesic shellfish poisoning in scallops. I would be happy to write to the member, and to the Rural Development Committee, once research has been commissioned.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) support and (b) opposition it has received in respect of draft proposals that there be a weekend ban on the scallop industry and by which individuals or bodies such support or opposition has been expressed.

Ross Finnie: Responses to the consultation exercise on technical conservation measures for scallops, which were not marked as confidential, are available from the Scottish Executive Library.

Fisheries

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is that a weekend ban on the scallop industry would conserve stocks and whether it will publish any such evidence.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether (a) an 80 mm scallop dredge belly ring size instead of the proposed 75 mm, (b) a days at sea scheme, such as for 240 days a year, (c) robust use of the scallop fishing licence and (d) a legal obligation to provide landing and fishing data to the scientists would promote conservation of stocks in the scallop industry and how likely each of these measures would be to achieve the twin aims of effective conservation and financial viability of the industry.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether reducing dredge numbers for larger scallop fishing vessels would result in scallop fishing vessels being forced to work on inshore grounds and thereby apply further pressure to such grounds.

Ross Finnie: I indicated to the Rural Development Committee in December 2002 that I would postpone any decision on technical conservation measures for scallops until I had received the ECODREDGE report. I will be reporting to Parliament shortly with my decision.

Harbours

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to progress phase 2 of the works at Wick Harbour and ensure that there is no deterioration in the phase 1 emergency repairs to the harbour.

Ross Finnie: Highland Council, as the Coast Protection Authority, has prepared a scheme to safeguard Wick harbour to ensure the on-going level of flood protection to the town. The council is presently taking forward the necessary statutory procedures to allow the work to proceed and await the return of tenders for the construction phase.

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin & Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average journey time by public transport was for admission to the (a) paediatric and (b) maternity units of each hospital in the (i) Ayrshire and Arran, (ii) Argyll and Clyde, (iii) Dumfries and Galloway, (iv) Lanarkshire and (v) Greater Glasgow NHS board area from each postcode sector in deprivation categories 5 to 7 in each of the last five years for which figures are available and, for each unit where relocation is proposed, what the average journey time would be if its services were relocated to the proposed new location.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The provision of health care services and issues of access for local people are matters for NHS boards, along with their local authority partners and local transport operators. The Executive would expect that any options for service change that involved travel for local people would be examined in light of existing and proposed public transport links.

Health

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients in the Forth Valley NHS Board area (a) have received and (b) are still to receive hip or knee surgery in a private hospital under the initiative announced in its news release SEhd319/2003 on 20 February 2003 and whether it will extend the initiative to include (i) more patients waiting for orthopaedic treatment and (ii) patients waiting for other forms of treatment.

Malcolm Chisholm: At 3 June 2003, 11 patients in the Forth Valley NHS Board area had received hip and knee surgery at a private sector hospital in Scotland under the second stage of the orthopaedic initiative, which started on 1 April 2003. It is planned that a further 57 residents of the NHS Forth Valley area will receive hip and knee surgery under the initiative by 30 September 2003.

  The Executive will continue to review with the NHS ways of treating patients, including use of the private sector, to ensure patients receive high quality treatment as swiftly as possible.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation there was prior to the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 coming into force.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: A consultation exercise on the proposals for mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation was undertaken by the Scottish Office from 4 June to 30 October 1998. Apart from local authorities, police and fire brigades, consultees included landlords’ organisations, higher education institutions and student bodies, health boards, tourism interests and voluntary organisations providing housing and support for a wide variety of client groups. The results of this exercise were announced by the Secretary of State for Scotland on 24 March 1999.

  A working group representing key interests was subsequently established to consider the detail of implementation and to draw up guidance on the scheme. Limited consultation was conducted on the draft order, and further comments were also sought before the guidance was finalised.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring has taken place of the operation of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: The Scottish Executive collects annual statistics from local authorities on the following aspects of the mandatory licensing scheme:

  number of applications received, refused, granted, revoked or suspended during the year, by types of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO);

  number of applications pending at 31 March, by types of HMO;

  total number of licenses in force at 31 March, by type of HMO and by number of occupants;

  reasons for refusals for licences, and

  licensing fees and fee structure.

  The resulting figures have been published in the Scottish Executive’s Statistical Bulletin, Housing Trends in Scotland. The relevant issues, which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre, are for quarters ending 31 December 2001 and 31 March 2002 (Bib. number 23303) and quarter ending 31 March 2001 (Bib. number 16396).

  The Executive also commissioned independent research, A Review of the First Year of Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation in Scotland, by Hector Currie, and officials keep in touch with current issues and developments through attending the meetings of the Scottish HMO Network Group of local authority officers.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Ms Margaret Curran: The Scottish Executive considers that the provisions of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 are compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Local Government

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether a local councillor expressing an opinion on the closure of a school during the statutory closure process would affect that councillor’s ability to carry out his or her duties at any future local authority committee meeting on that issue.

Tavish Scott: This is a matter for individual local authorities and the Standards Commission for Scotland.

  The current Code of Conduct for Councillors and guidance issued by the Standards Commission make clear that councillors who are responsible for matters such as planning applications or school closures must not have - or be seen to have - prejudged any matter before the proper occasion for deciding such issues.

  Councillors who are not responsible for such matters may support, oppose, or promote a particular recommendation provided that this is done in an open and transparent manner consistent with proper procedures.

Mental Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now review the law regarding the detention of those suffering from personality disorders that place the public at risk but do not currently justify statutory detention and what consideration it will give to introducing new statutory measures in respect of this matter.

Cathy Jamieson: The law relating to the detention of persons suffering from personality disorders was recently reviewed as part of the work of the Millan and McLean Committees. Their recommendations informed the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, which received Royal Assent in March and April respectively this year and will come into force in due course. Given this, we see no benefit in a further review at this time. The operation of the new legislation will clearly be very closely monitored.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the powers of direction of Scottish Ministers in respect of non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) were used during the first session of the Parliament and, if so, in which instances.

Mr Andy Kerr: Powers of direction vary from body to body. There is a wide range of terminology used in statute to describe directions that can be given to NDPBs. The power is normally contained in each body’s establishing legislation or other founding framework documentation. These provisions give ministers a power to issue to an NDPB directions of a general or specific nature. Alternatively or in addition, statute may give ministers the power to issue directions on matters such as the form in which an NDPB must draw up its accounts or on what the NDPB must do to ensure the delivery of an EU obligation.

  The provision and application of such powers, is and can be interpreted in many ways. This flexibility is desirable in order to reflect the differing nature and individual status of the wide range of NDPBs and also to maintain positive relationships between bodies and ministers. In practice it is for each NDPB sponsor division within the Executive and solicitors to interpret what action(s) might qualify as a direction, taking into account the circumstances of the body and the scope of the power, and offer advice to ministers accordingly.

  Any decision for a minister to write to an NDPB in such terms may be considered to form part of the normal day to day operational responsibilities which ministers hold in relation to accountability and governance of NDPBs. Such responsibilities are an essential aspect of the well defined arms length relationship between NDPBs and ministers.

  The use of powers of direction is not recorded separately in every case. The information requested is, therefore, not held centrally in a way which would allow the provision of a comprehensive list.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of which non-departmental public bodies Scottish ministers have the powers of direction and what these powers relate to.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in what circumstances Scottish ministers might use their powers of direction in respect of non-departmental public bodies.

Mr Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-4 on 3 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Older People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of its Older People's Unit; who the members of the unit are; how often the unit meets; when the unit last met, and what matters were discussed.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Older People's Unit is a team of three civil servants based in the Health Department of the Scottish Executive. Further information on the unit's role can be found on the Scottish Executive website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/HD/OPU/00015079/older.aspx.

Older People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of its Older People's Consultative Forum; who the members of the forum are; how often the forum meets; when the forum last met, and what matters were discussed.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is published on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk/olderpeople.

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what fitness tests the police use during their recruitment process and whether any changes to the tests have been implemented in the past two years or are planned.

Cathy Jamieson: Under the Police Regulations 1976, no person may be appointed as a constable unless he or she has been certified to be "in good health, of sound constitution and fitted both physically and mentally to perform the duties of constable". All police forces in Scotland have fitness tests for entry and these vary to some extent from force to force. As part of an on-going review being carried out by the Association of Police Officers in Scotland, consideration is being given to introducing a single national fitness test which all forces in Scotland would adopt.

Post Office

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to support the Post Office in its efforts to revitalise the Post Office network, as referred to in A Partnership for a Better Scotland .

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Post offices, postal services and Royal Mail Group plc are reserved matters. The Scottish Executive’s £2 million Fund to Develop Post Offices in Deprived Urban Areas was launched on 30 December 2002. It aims to contribute to the community regeneration of deprived urban areas by sustaining and improving post office branches, on the margins of viability, that provide socially important services and facilities. The Executive is also participating in Post Office-led discussions about development of the rural network.

Post Office

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to make use of the Post Office network to promote Executive services.

Mr Andy Kerr: What matters is identifying the most effective locations for meeting people’s needs for access to public services. The Scottish Executive, as part of its 21st Century Government agenda, has developed and supported the delivery of public services through a range of channels including the internet and managed contact centres as well as face to face in offices and one-stop shops. The Executive is also exploring other platforms for information and service delivery, including interactive digital television, smartcards, public kiosks, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) and WAP phones. Assisted access to public services remains an important aspect of improving public service delivery and the use of both Citizen’s Advice Bureaux and Post Offices are being considered.

  The Executive’s Modernising Government Fund has supported projects in Eddleston Post Office in the Scottish Borders setting up a community PC to allow local people to develop IT skills and access information and in Dumfries and Galloway to test information kiosks in various locations including rural post offices. It has also supported the Digital Highland Project where Highland Council is extending availability of services through a network of one-stop shops across its area and is extending the facility to carry out transactions with government electronically through rural Post Offices.

  At the same time, as a part of its digital inclusion strategy, the Executive's public internet access point initiative is creating over 1,000 new venues across Scotland where people can have cheap, easy access to the web and all its services - public, commercial and voluntary sector. Any public venue can apply – such as shops, pubs, community centres etc. Rural post offices have been actively encouraged to participate in the scheme - which provides eligible venues with computer hardware, software, and internet connectivity - all free of charge. The scheme therefore allows rural post offices to provide another valuable service to their customers. Nearly 600 new public internet access points are in operation now including 40 post offices. Potential applicants can obtain details of the scheme by calling 0845-270-1043 or on the web at www.scottishwebaccess.com.

Renewable Energy

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is available on the siting of wind farms close to areas of habitation with above 500 residents.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: Relevant guidance on minimising the impact of wind farms on local communities is given in National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy Developments  which is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18113) . This does not give population-specific guidance. Planning authorities will need to address all the impacts on a case-by-case basis taking into account the siting, layout and size of a proposal in relation to local land form and landscape characteristics.

Roads

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce toll charges for all users of the M74 northern extension following completion of the project.

Nicol Stephen: There are no plans to introduce tolls.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include the upgrading to dual track of the remaining single track section of the A830 in its programme for trunk road improvements and, if so, within what timescale this work will commence.

Nicol Stephen: Highland Council have already been appointed to bring forward preparation work for this scheme. Construction will depend on the success of statutory procedures and the availability of funding, including European Funds from the Highland and Island Transitional Programme. Subject to favourable outcomes, construction could start in 2005.

Roads

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include the Elgin bypass in its planned improvements to the A96.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive has no plans to construct a bypass for Elgin. However, we are working with Moray Council to examine other solutions to improve traffic flow in the town.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the standard of ground maintenance of the trunk road network in the Highland Council area complies with the Executive’s contract with BEAR Scotland Ltd.

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland Ltd has complied with the necessary specifications contained in its contract with the Executive in relation to ground maintenance of trunk roads.

Nicol Stephen: The independent Performance Audit Group has confirmed that BEAR Scotland Ltd has complied with the specifications for ground maintenance.

School Meals

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what interim steps it is taking to ensure that families whose children are entitled to free school meals and who have switched to the new Child Tax Credit from income support retain their children’s entitlement to free school meals until legislation on this matter comes into force in January 2004.

Euan Robson: Pending legislative changes currently being considered by the Parliament, administrative arrangements are in place to ensure that families whose children are entitled to free school meals under existing legislation are not disadvantaged if they move from Income Support to Child Tax Credit.

Scottish Executive Expenditure

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to its Environment and Rural Development Department has been of (a) printing and production of and (b) postage for (i) consultation documents and (ii) guidance documents issued to farmers in each of the last five years.

Ross Finnie: (i) Consultation documents to farmers

  We issue these to representative bodies with an interest, and not as a rule to farmers, although all the documents can be accessed by individuals through the Executive’s website. We do not keep a record of the costs of these consultation documents since in the main they do not involve external printing and dissemination. The costs, mainly in photocopying and postage are met from the general running costs of the department.

  (ii) Guidance documents to farmers

  On guidance documents, primarily subsidy scheme literature and claim forms, the costs are as follows:

  

 

Printing and Production 
  

Postage 
  

Total 
  



1998-99 
  

£218,600 
  

£43,500 
  

£262,100 
  



1999-2000 
  

£355,300 
  

£57,100 
  

£412,400 
  



2000-01 
  

£344,900 
  

£45,600 
  

£390,500 
  



2001-02 
  

£497,300 
  

£126,600 
  

£623,900 
  



2002-03 
  

£380,100 
  

£117,200 
  

£497,300

Scottish Natural Heritage

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost has been to date to Scottish Natural Heritage of its project to reintroduce the beaver.

Allan Wilson: This is a matter for Scottish Natural Heritage. The information requested is not held centrally.

Sex Offenders

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it will give to amending the law on the registration and/or monitoring of sex offenders in order to include retrospective provisions.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive and the Home Office jointly reviewed the Sex Offenders Act in 2000 and published the results in July 2001. That review concluded that there was no viable way of extending the act to offenders convicted before the legislation came into force, beyond the limited retrospection with respect to those serving relevant sentences on 1 September 1997.

  There are measures, however, to protect the public from sex offenders who have completed their sentences prior to 1997 but who continue to display risky behaviour. Chief constables can, for example, apply for a Sex Offender Order, which triggers notification and can place prohibitions on the individual.

  A number of changes to strengthen the existing sex offenders’ regime are contained in the Sexual Offences Bill currently before the UK Parliament. No further changes to the retrospective element of the legislation are planned.

Skye Bridge

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the toll regime for the Skye Bridge will end.

Nicol Stephen: The Executive is committed to reviewing existing bridge tolls and entering into negotiations with a view to ending the discredited toll regime for the Skye Bridge. We have made initial contact with Skye Bridge Ltd and hope to start discussions shortly.

Teacher Training

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome has been of the allocation of probationer teachers to local authorities under the Teacher Induction Scheme 2003-04.

Peter Peacock: We have, once again, succeeded in allocating everyone who applied to join the Teacher Induction Scheme in August 2003 to one of his or her five preferred authorities, albeit the scheme offers no such guarantee.

  The matching of probationers to their preferred authorities has been even more successful than last year. In the primary sector 96% of applicants have been allocated to one of their top three preferences (94% last year), and in the secondary sector 89% have been allocated to one of their top three (86% last year).

  There is, however, no certainty that we will be able to maintain such high levels of matching in future years. As we train more teachers over the coming years, to deliver our new partnership commitments, it may not prove possible to afford the same priority to student preferences

Transport

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any assessment of the economic impact of increasing annual expenditure on transport infrastructure by £100 million.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive expects all transport projects that it funds to undergo rigorous appraisal, in accordance with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. The economic impact of each transport infrastructure investment is identified as part of that appraisal process.

Voluntary Sector

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any calculation of the cost of providing a mountain rescue service where the existing voluntary provision by mountain rescue teams has been withdrawn and, if so, what its estimate is of the total annual cost of providing such a service.

Cathy Jamieson: The Executive is not aware of any existing voluntary provision by mountain rescue teams having been withdrawn and no estimates have been made of the costs of providing such a service.

Waste Management

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-33327 by Ross Finnie on 31 January 2003, what monitoring is in place regarding the effectiveness of local authorities' use of the £3 million committed to litter reduction schemes.

Ross Finnie: It is for the local authorities to monitor the success of the specific schemes they propose for Quality of Life funding. However, the Scottish Executive has provided £150,000 to Keep Scotland Beautiful to develop, with all local authorities in Scotland, performance indicators for the standard of cleanliness of streets and pavements.

Waste Management

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-30208 by Ross Finnie on 16 October 2002, whether any further local authorities have now adopted formal litter plans.

Ross Finnie: No further local authorities have adopted formal litter plans since my response to question S1W-30208. The decision on whether to adopt a litter plan is one for the individual local authority.

Waste Management

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-22838 by Ross Finnie on 21 February 2002, how many prosecutions there have been for litter and fly-tipping offences in each year since 2000, broken down by local authority.

Ross Finnie: The available information, which relates to all offences categorised as litter offences under the Scottish Executive Justice Department’s classification of crimes and offences, is given in the following table. The data for 2002 are expected to be published in the autumn of 2003.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts Where the Main Offence was a Litter Offence, by Local Authority, 2000 and 2001

  


Local Authority 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



Angus 
  

2 
  

5 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

1 
  

- 
  



City of Edinburgh 
  

- 
  

1 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

1 
  

- 
  



Dundee City 
  

3 
  

3 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

- 
  

2 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

1 
  

- 
  



Falkirk 
  

- 
  

1 
  



Glasgow City 
  

1 
  

4 
  



Highland 
  

- 
  

2 
  



Inverclyde 
  

1 
  

1 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

- 
  

1 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

2 
  

3 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

- 
  

2 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

1 
  

2 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

1 
  

- 
  



Total 
  

14 
  

27

Waste Management

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-4393 by Mr Jim Wallace on 10 January 2002, how many people have been charged with litter offences in each year since 2000.

Cathy Jamieson: In 2000 and 2001, 14 and 27 persons respectively were proceeded against in Scottish Courts where the main offence was categorised as a litter offence under the Scottish Executive Justice Department’s classification of crimes and offences. The data for 2002 are not expected to be available until the autumn of 2003.

Waste Management

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5188 by Mr Jim Wallace on 23 March 2000, how many prosecutions have taken place under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in each year since 1998, in how many cases charges were proved and how much was levied in fines.

Cathy Jamieson: The available information is given in the following table. The data for 2002 are not expected to be available until the autumn of 2003.

  Prosecutions and Fines Imposed for Offences Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as Main Offence), Scotland, 1998-2001

  

 

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  



All Offences1




 Number of Prosecutions 
  

55 
  

44 
  

24 
  

34 
  



 Number with Charge Proved 
  

53 
  

36 
  

20 
  

32 
  



 Total Amount of Fines Imposed (£) 
  

18,705 
  

6,740 
  

16,480 
  

12,080 
  



Offences Classified as Litter Offences2




 Number of Prosecutions 
  

41 
  

30 
  

14 
  

27 
  



 Number with Charge Proved 
  

39 
  

23 
  

11 
  

26 
  



 Total Amount of Fines Imposed (£) 
  

1,940 
  

1,190 
  

7,990 
  

3,680 
  



  Notes:

  1. Excludes a small number of cases where the charge information available is not sufficiently detailed to identify the offence as being under the 1990 act.

  2. Under the Scottish Executive Justice Department classification of crimes and offences.

Waste Management

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what tonnage of waste from Edinburgh has been transferred from rail to road for delivery to the Oxwellmains landfill site in each of the last six months; how many lorry movements this has created, and when it will be possible to restore rail transport for such freight.

Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the City of Edinburgh Council. The information requested is not held centrally.